Feline Mystery: Can you Help Solve it?

Cats indeed are mysterious beings. But the one thing I know about for sure about them is the moment we think  that their purrsonalities are open books or they are predictable creatures, they will do something to communicate that we are being arrogant and really don't have a clue. In the 40 plus years I have been owned by felines the one thing that I have learned about them for sure, is that they really are quite unpredictable at times.

Take my cat, Hush Puppy! (It's just an expression, folks... you can't have him). Puppy absolutely despises riding in our car. The instant he spies me retrieving his carrier, he gives me THAT look, and we all know what that look is saying. He quickly finds  his favorite hiding place in the closet in order to evade any possibility of coming in contact with  the automobile monster.

This being said, I recently discovered that it is not traveling that bothers him.

Walking can be difficult and painful for me, due to Lyme Disease which resulted in Arthritis. Strolling around outdoors and in our house can become almost impossible at times.Thankfully, I was blessed to be able to finally obtain a power wheelchair to assist me in getting around more efficiently. I love my power chair. it faithfully takes me wherever I need to go.

It seems that Hush Puppy, our lilac point Oriental Shorthair neuter, has developed a fondness for taking rides with me when I am in my chair. He frequently jumps on my shoulder as I am riding around the house to join in what he considers to be the greatest fun. He purrs up a storm whenever I take the opportunity to pick him up and take him for a ride. I have no idea why he has a rooted antipathy to our car, but will  beg me to take him for a ride when I am in my chair. He often sits on the head rest looking longingly at me. I find it hard to resist his invitation most of the time.

But the strangest thing of all, is that we have a hybrid car which is almost as quiet as my powerchair. So I don't think it is the noise factor, and we don't always take him to the vet when we may travel elsewhere with him in our car.

So I am wondering what it is that is so upsetting to him about the automobile. He will begin "singing" from the moment we leave the garage, only stopping his raucous serenade when we stop for a traffic light or reach our destination. 

Either he is being empathetic toward me when I am in my wheelchair, letting me know he is thrilled that I can get around, or it is more complicated.

It is indeed a mystery to us.I need some help here. so If anyone has suggestions about what his problem is, I would be delighted to receive some input.

Lucyfur's Adoption: A Miraculous Match

It was heartbreaking for us to surrender our adorable Lucyfur to be re-homed last month. My husband and I adored her sweet purrsonality and her appealing little habits which were quite unique. Her deep throated purr, accompanied by incessant kneading and drooling especially endeared her to me. While she was very affectionate with us, she remained aloof from our two other kitties, never really bonding with them.

Lucyfur seemed unhappy with them and kept to herself most of the time. It was also apparent that a difficult situation was developing  between Trouble, our white Oriental Shorthair neuter and Lucyfur, as they both began spraying in our bedroom.

After an exhausting and thorough search for answers to our kitty problems, assisted by our caring veterinarian, Dr. Erin Holder and  the enlightening session I had with Lisa Reber, an animal communicator, our concern about Lucyfur's discontent was validated. Trouble was telling Lisa that Lucyfur was very unhappy and longed to be an only kitty which would afford her the opportunity to receive undivided love and affection. She had no desire to live with other cats.

In an entry I posted earlier this week, Cats That Spray I wrote that  several people were interested in adopting Lucyfur. Since she is such a charming and coquettish kitty, I was not at all surprised that she was touching people's hearts. Several days later I spoke with Linda, the office manager at Florida Wild Veterinary Hospital. She informed me that a charming couple, who had no other cats, had fallen in love with Lucyfur and were  in the process of adopting her. Late yesterday afternoon, when my caller I.D. displayed the clinic's phone number, my heart skipped a beat. I was thrilled to hear Linda's voice informing me that "Lucy has gone to her new home."

However, there are some rather unusual events surrounding Lucyfur's adoption.It seems that her new "fur parents" have recently relocated from New York to Florida. We made that same move in 2001. Additionally they live in the same town as we do. 

The icing on the cake is that they wanted to adopt only one kitty. As far as I am concerned, I have finally come to the conclusion that my husband and I provided long term fostering for Lucyfur until her forever family made their presence known. I am so grateful to Florida Wild Animal Hospital for the loving care with which they provided Lucyfur during her transition time, and the people who have taken her into their hearts and home. Purrhaps one day we shall meet . . . could it be at the petfood aisle in our local shopping center?

Do you think that this adoption scenario is a  bizarre coincidence, or further evidence that our cats really find us through a mysterious process that we will never quite understand?

Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts.

The Language of Cats: Do we Really Understand Them?

 

I wish I had the ability to accurately read our cats' minds. It would make it so much easier if I could just enter into their world for a brief moment in order to  communicate more effectively with them.

Of course anything that I attribute to what they may be thinking is pure speculation. I don't know if I am imagining it, but our mackerel tabby domestic shorthair spay, Lucyfur, appears to be contemplating deeply about something that gives her that "far away" expression on her face. Or she could just be getting ready to nod off for a cat nap. It does get so frustrating at times.

Our white Oriental Shorthair, Trouble seems to be nervous posing for this photograph. While his tail is in the upright position with a little curve on the top "telling" us that all is right with the world, his facial expression appears to be a bit contrary to his body language.

This "wistful" facial expression that our other Oriental shorthair kitty is displaying, Hush Puppy, Trouble's brother, appears that he is gazing at me with an abundance of love. The look in his eyes speaks to me tenderly, of his affection.

But what do I know? I can only project my own emotions onto my cats and hope that I am getting it right.  He may be trying to tell me that it is dinner time!

How do you communicate with your kitties? Does their body language really give us access into their minds?  At the very least, we cat lovers can share information between ourselves, and purrhaps it will lend credence to what we suspect our cats may be trying to communicate.

Please leave a comment and let's share so we can be more effective in this important aspect of our feline servitude.